Richland Drops NJCAA DIII Tournament Opening Game

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Dallas College Richland women's basketball team fell 66-58 to Northland Community & Technical College in the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament at the Brownwood Coliseum.

The Thunderducks (10-11) will meet Jefferson Community College (21-7) in the consolation round 10 a.m. Friday.

Richland, which outscored Northland 20-5 in bench points, pulled even on two occasions, but never led.

Aspen Hicks scored 12 points, and had 10 rebounds, three steals and a block for the Thunderducks, who made five three-pointers, and limited Northland (24-5) to one. Sanaa Darensberg finished with 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. The two of them combined to go 9 of 23 from the floor. Mahogany Jackson-Walker had 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

The Thunderducks tied the game for a second time in the opening quarter when Jaynai Miles made a 3-pointer with 1:57 remaining in the period. That's where it stood for the rest of the quarter. The Pioneers outscored Richland 7-0 to start the second quarter until Kiana Thornton made a layup at the 6:41 mark to cut the deficit to five. Darensberg knocked down a jump shot on an assist from Jackson-Walker 4:15 before halftime to stay within five.

Northland led 30-20 at halftime.

Sierra Westberg's layup 3:51 into the second half pushed the Pioneers ahead 40-25. Ashlyn Nelson's 3 extended the lead to 18 just over two minutes later. Miles hit a jumper, and Darensberg sank a pair at the free throw line to cut it to 43-29. Jackson-Walker's basket with 27 seconds remaining in the quarter sent Richland into the fourth trailing by 12.

Skylar Johnson's 3 at the 8:23 mark of the fourth pulled the Thunderducks within 49-38 before Josie Peterson scored on the next possession for the Pioneers. Miles buried a 3 with seven minutes remaining, cutting Northland's lead to eight. But Kenzie Dahl scored on a layup, and Peterson sank a pair at the free throw stripe to bump the lead to 12 with 3:37 remaining. Richland couldn't recover.

The Thunderducks outscored the Pioneers 16-9 in second chance points. Northland held the advantage in points in the paint, 46-22.

Miles scored eight points, and Essence Hurndon grabbed seven boards for the Thunderducks. Dahl finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Peterson had 16 points, four rebounds and a block for the Pioneers.